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Members of the Samsell family include, from left: Diana, Rilla, Lee and Madeline.

Rilla Samsell stands with Dr. Richard Brant, who supplied Rilla and the Samsell family with four tickets to the LSU-WVU football game after Rilla suffered appendicitis right before the season opener against Marshall.

Think about that one: Marshall or LSU. Hint: Unbeaten LSU will play in the BCS National Championship Game.

All 12-year-old Rilla, a student at Faith Christian, had to do was get sick.

All she had to do was suffer an appendix attack on the eve of the game while already in Morgantown with the rest of her family, father Lee, mother Diana and older sister Madeline.

Then it all worked out as she got to see her favorite, West Virginia, play LSU, instead of Marshall.

Not that many others saw WVU and Marshall play much either, the constant severe thunderstorms delaying and eventually ending their game. It was like the players, fans, coaches, stadium workers and media were going through their own bout with appendicitis.

Poor Rilla.

She did suffer from it.

"Our youngest daughter began to complain of stomach pains shortly after we arrived in Morgantown Saturday evening," Diana Samsell wrote in an email. "We took her to Ruby Memorial Hospital E.R. We discovered she had appendicitis, and she was scheduled for surgery early Sunday morning."

For the sake of television, the Marshall-WVU game - otherwise known as the Friends of Coal Bowl - was being played on Sunday afternoon.

And Sunday night. And almost to Monday morning.

Rilla would not be sitting in a seat or hiding under cover during the continual drenching storms.

She'd have to be in a hospital bed.

"The staff at Ruby was gracious and gave us a pediatric room that overlooked Mylan Puskar Stadium with a great view of the scoreboard," Diana wrote. "My daughter was extremely disappointed that we were going to miss WVU's opening-day game."

There was a TV in the room, too, so whatever Rilla couldn't see through her window - probably little - she could catch up on during the replays.

"Her surgery went well, and, although she slept through most of the game, I was able to watch it on TV, as well as occasionally viewing the excitement out the window around the stadium.

"I had a bird's-eye view of the lightning, evacuation and replays on the scoreboard."

Mother and daughter slept comfortably that night after the surgery.

That didn't lessen Rilla's pain about not seeing the game, even though her stomach pains abated.

"As promised, he showed up Monday morning to wish her well, but, much to our surprise, he had a gift for my daughter - four tickets and parking pass to the WVU-LSU game on Sept. 24.

"He said they were his own personal tickets, and since he would not be able to use them as he would be working at the hospital, that he was giving to her so she would be able to go and experience a game with her family.

"... I couldn't believe it! What a special deed he did!

"I was floored by the compassion and empathy that this doctor had for my daughter."

Does a tear well up in your eye, too?

What a story for this day of days.

It's Christmas, the day Christians believe their savor was born in a manger.

We celebrate by giving gifts by the shopping-basketful.

Should we wait for just one day?

Just as Rilla and her family were blessed by a tenderhearted doctor, the doctor was blessed in his giving.

That was back in September.

What about us?

Wouldn't it be more wonderful to give something ourselves - like ourselves - during the course of the year.

Let's be courteous on the highways, in the stores and restaurants. Say "Have a nice day," to those we encounter, because their days might not be as enjoyable as ours and they might be the downtrodden. Offer help in those precarious situations for others.

Just think of all the smiles all around.

Let us all be Rilla's, accept the love of others, our brothers and sisters no matter race, heritage or beliefs.

Let us be Dr. Brant, offer the love of others to our brothers and sisters no matter race, heritage or beliefs.